The Doctor Goes Digital

Doctor Who: Series 7 – Part 1 will be one of the first BBC Worldwide DVDs and Blu-rays enabled with UltraViolet, allowing viewers to download a digital copy.

The UV system was set up to track and prevent online piracy, as well as boosting sales, and was introduced to the UK last December. It will mean fans, using a special code, can download episodes of series 7 onto as many as 12 devices, as well as receiving a physical copy as a DVD or Blu-ray. Until now, digital copies of episodes have only been available as separate purchases through interfaces like iTunes.

We hope UV will empower consumers to build digital entertainment libraries and continue to enjoy BBC Worldwide releases either at home or on the move. We will continue to work as part of the UV consortium and with our supporting partner, Flixster, on further releases for early 2013.

The initial batch of UV-enabled releases hitting shelves in time for Christmas will be: Doctor Who: Series 7 – Part 1; Rollercoaster, a new stand-up show from John Bishop; a Top Gear special; and Attenborough: 60 Years in the Wild.

Backed by Warner Bros., Sky, Fox, LoveFilm, and many more, the UV scheme utilises both streaming and download, so fans can watch their favourite show online and offline. Further Doctor Who releases are expected to include UltraViolet, including Series 7 – Part 2.

Doctor Who: Series 7 – Part 1 will be available on DVD and Blu-ray from 29th October.

When he’s not watching television, reading books ‘n’ Marvel comics, listening to The Killers, and obsessing over script ideas, Philip Bates pretends to be a freelance writer. He enjoys collecting everything.